Two Dancing Partners, One Exquisite Dance

Although admittedly I have little actual dancing experience, the concept is one that intrigues me.

Two individuals, following music’s cadence and in sync with the other, take cue from the melody, rhythm and ‘feel’ of the music itself to join with each other and create a visual demonstration of artistic flourish & magnificence.
At least that’s the goal.
It sounds breathtaking and elegant.
In reality, the possibility for the proverbial ‘flop’ seems large, as well. (That would be where Jon and I come in, no doubt…)

Figuratively, the concept of the ‘dance’ illustrates another relationship well.
Allow me to introduce partner one and partner two:
Duty and Delight.
In our lives (‘ballroom’) as we strive to live all for the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31), to love God first and others next (Matt 22:37-39), to serve others humbly and sacrificially (John 13:13-14), to proclaim the gospel (Matt 28:19), we need the complementary assistance of these two partners, delight in God and duty toward Him.
Delight is the lead; He must first and foundationally provide definition and motivation for our ‘dance’.

Delight sees the glory of Christ, the work on the Cross, the beauty of God’s holiness, the amazing transfer of grace which redeems us, and beckons us, “Dance!”
Delight takes the majestic melodies of grace, mercy, sovereignty, salvation---on and on the list goes---and repeats them to our hearts and souls. He bids us to take our eyes off our feet (as we get bogged down with the technical footwork) and summons us to look up and listen instead to the glory of the reverberating sound around us. “Behold the beauty!” he urges, to which we respond and display with artistic abandon our dance.

Duty follows. A less extravagant dancer, duty follows the lead of her partner, offering protection in countless ways for the two of them. Duty keeps her eyes on the parameters of the dance floor, keeps aware of the length of the song being played (and how long they’ll have to keep dipping & swaying!), notices proximity to other dancers, and generally helps delight by taking care of technical details.
Not very glory-filled, but absolutely essential to the life and artistry of the dance.

Duty covers the weaknesses of delight and prevents the collapse of the entire dance. She is ready when delight falters, when weariness or human error occurs, or when her partner’s focus is lured away from the call of the grand melody.
She stands guard for the many dangerous distractions which seek her partner’s attention: the chatter of others around him, the moves and impressive success of fellow dance couples, the activity off the dance floor, and even the adrenalin rush of the dance itself which can so subtly make his head a little too big…
“Beware, and listen closely to the melody…” she wisely reminds.
She is not meant to lead; indeed, if her role remains primary for too long the dance floor instead becomes a gymnasium of beauty-less physical exercises. Far, far from the beautiful dance the Designer intended.

Duty and delight need each other; they are not enemies, nor can they be disconnected strangers.
They exist as each other’s salvation.

And, as we live out ours, duty and delight must dance together, as well.